How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads?

Jun 20, 15 4:21

Post #1 of 26 (20460 views)

I just bought a new set of race wheels, they are noticeably wider than my training wheel set. The bike is a Specialized Transition, the wheels are Hed Jets. I have opened up the bottom brake caliper as wide as it will go, turned the barrel adjuster and the brake pads still rub. I looked at Specialized website and found how to adjust the brake but it is just not enough. I have seen where others have filed or sanded down the brake pads to get wheels to fit. How do you that? I have a small vice so I can remove the pads. Do I get medium grit sand paper and just sand away? I have a few small files if that is better. Or is it best to buy thinner pads? The brake tracks on both training and race wheels are metal not carbon.

Thanks.

.

Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 4:23

Post #2 of 26 (20457 views)

Filing it down will help but it dramatically decreases the life of the brakes.
Anyway you can swap out the brakes?

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Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 4:35

Post #3 of 26 (20447 views)

I used a metal file... you realize how solid a good set of pads are when you start at this. I actually used a box cutter/xacto knife to take the first mm or 2 off and finished with a file and sand paper.

I keep my filed pads for only race day

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 4:51

Post #4 of 26 (20429 views)

I'd be searching round for some old part worn brake pads before sanding a new set especially if they are metal rimmed race wheels. I'd bet some of your riding buddy's have some if you don't, I've got maybe 5 sets of part worn ones at the last count.

Iain

Training Full Time in 2015: http://www.triopensource.com
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Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [Iain Gillam] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 6:02

Post #5 of 26 (20383 views)

Agree with the post above. Offer to swap your buddies worn pads with new ones... They've already done the work for you.

Brad

3SIXTY5cycling.com

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 6:08

Post #6 of 26 (20379 views)

hblake wrote:

I just bought a new set of race wheels, they are noticeably wider than my training wheel set. The bike is a Specialized Transition, the wheels are Hed Jets. I have opened up the bottom brake caliper as wide as it will go, turned the barrel adjuster and the brake pads still rub. I looked at Specialized website and found how to adjust the brake but it is just not enough. I have seen where others have filed or sanded down the brake pads to get wheels to fit. How do you that? I have a small vice so I can remove the pads. Do I get medium grit sand paper and just sand away? I have a few small files if that is better. Or is it best to buy thinner pads? The brake tracks on both training and race wheels are metal not carbon.

Thanks.

.

By far and away the quickest way: a steady hand, a chopping board and a bread knife. Slice 2mm off at a time. Remember to cut new vertical grooves in them if you get past the manufactured ones.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 8:26

Post #7 of 26 (20316 views)

Belt sander.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [felt4fun] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 8:50

Post #8 of 26 (20303 views)

I had the same issue with my P5 with the Swissstop Black Prince pads. Got a set of Reynolds blue pads, installed them and the wheels went on with no issues. Second season with the same set-up.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 9:32

Post #9 of 26 (20288 views)

Same problem with my new QR Cd0.1. My bike tech buddy used a grinding wheel. Only took a few secs. He used old pads.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 9:36

Post #10 of 26 (20283 views)

If you have spacers behind the bolts, did you remove them as well? That's all it took for me to get clearance.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [LOW2000] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 11:07

Post #11 of 26 (20253 views)

LOW2000 wrote:

If you have spacers behind the bolts, did you remove them as well? That's all it took for me to get clearance.

Agreed, should be no need to sand brake pads. Just move the spacers.

---------------------------
''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [LOW2000] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 13:12

Post #12 of 26 (20221 views)

This is the view of the calipers from a website:

As you can see, there is a silver conical spacer/washer between the caliper arm and the brake pad. I think that it is there to adjust to angle of the pads to the rims such as toe in/out but perhaps not. I will remove them this evening when I get home and see what happens.

.

Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 15:02

Post #13 of 26 (20185 views)

Same thing as is found on a Shimano caliper, I am still able to adjust my brakes just fine without the washer.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [Greg66] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 15:20

Post #14 of 26 (20172 views)

Greg66 wrote:

Remember to cut new vertical grooves in them if you get past the manufactured ones.

Why?

http://www.jt10000.com/

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 15:23

Post #15 of 26 (20169 views)

Either a file or a 3 axis mill. Also, look into the Swisstop Evo pads. They're much thinner than stock pads and will save you the headache of trying to keep your pad level while sanding it down. They're very good pads to boot.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 20, 15 15:54

Post #16 of 26 (20148 views)

I have a sanding bit on my Dremel tool. Works really well.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [nickwhite] [ In reply to ]

Jun 21, 15 2:24

Post #17 of 26 (20065 views)

nickwhite wrote:

I have a sanding bit on my Dremel tool. Works really well.

Same here. My Speed concept 9 needed the pads sanded to fit Zipp/HED wheels.
I put the pads one at a time in a vice to hold them, then a very steady had with a dremel and sanding bit. It works very quickly, so I just did a little at a time.

As for shortening the life of brake pads, its not like we burn through these things super quickly anyway! And not a big deal if you need to buy new pads once a year...

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [jt10000] [ In reply to ]

Jun 22, 15 10:55

Post #18 of 26 (19932 views)

jt10000 wrote:

Greg66 wrote:

Remember to cut new vertical grooves in them if you get past the manufactured ones.

Why?

Because if you need to brake and it clamps down on dirt/grime on top of the rim, you don't want that being rubbed against the rim as it slides under the brake.

The groves allow the debris and stuff a place to go. It isn't "much", but you're saving the extra 3-5cm of scraping that the dirt would otherwise do.

I would also say it has something to do with the bending of the rubber when you apply the brake. The slots allow the rubber to bend a bit before fully catching and applying all the stopping power. I don't know how much, or if, that matters, but you could easily test it out and see. It would probably allow for more modulation if you toe-in your brakes.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [Sweeney] [ In reply to ]

Jun 22, 15 11:09

Post #19 of 26 (19919 views)

Sweeney wrote:

LOW2000 wrote:

If you have spacers behind the bolts, did you remove them as well? That's all it took for me to get clearance.

Agreed, should be no need to sand brake pads. Just move the spacers.

Flo wheels on a 2012 Transition. All the spacers removed and the brake cable released and the pads rub the rear rim. I'm sure other wheel/frame/brake combinations suffer the same problems.

To the OP. The simplest thing to do is remove the pad and run it across some 320 grit emery cloth that is on a hard flat surface. Even light pressure and the pads will sand down very quickly. I use calibers to make sure they are the same thickness when I'm done.

As far as reducing the life of the brakes, I don't remember ever replacing brakes for wear on a TT bike. Brakes only slow you down, so I don't use them in a race.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 22, 15 13:45

Post #20 of 26 (19876 views)

I used a bench grinder with good results

the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 22, 15 13:59

Post #21 of 26 (19864 views)

hblake wrote:

I just bought a new set of race wheels, they are noticeably wider than my training wheel set. The bike is a Specialized Transition, the wheels are Hed Jets. I have opened up the bottom brake caliper as wide as it will go, turned the barrel adjuster and the brake pads still rub. I looked at Specialized website and found how to adjust the brake but it is just not enough. I have seen where others have filed or sanded down the brake pads to get wheels to fit. How do you that? I have a small vice so I can remove the pads. Do I get medium grit sand paper and just sand away? I have a few small files if that is better. Or is it best to buy thinner pads? The brake tracks on both training and race wheels are metal not carbon.

Thanks.

.

I have the same brakes. I had to loosen the cable and reset it when I got the Flo wheels since they're so much wider than most wheels. I'm just going to ask: Did you loosen the cable and reset it? If the brake cables are too short, you may have to replace them with longer ones.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 22, 15 15:21

Post #22 of 26 (19833 views)

i just simply ordered the swiss stop regular brake pads and surprisingly they are much thinner than regular. Install them and move the space to the outside and you are good to go!! I did this with a HED plus rim and still have room to spare.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [hblake] [ In reply to ]

Jun 22, 15 17:42

Post #23 of 26 (19807 views)

When brand new, I sand all my brake pads. Generally I use a belt sander with a fine grit belt, to get them flat and it's just to scuff them up so the mold release agent is off them so they grip well from the get go.

You could do that in your case, but you will shorten the lifespan of the pads and have to replace them more often. That certainly won't break the bank, and it's not nearly the biggest expense of being a trigeek.

Being metal brake tracks you can even buy bargain basement pads for just a few $, sand a bunch at the same time, and just keep an eye on wear so you don't get metal on metal at any point.

TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [Bruizer] [ In reply to ]

Jun 23, 15 4:01

Post #24 of 26 (19755 views)

Yesterday I did that for the front wheel and in the garage it worked well. I will road test it tomorrow after I get the new cassette for the rear wheel installed. While I had the cable loose I also turned the barrel adjuster as it was tightened down completely with no room to adjust it. I downloaded brake adjustment info from the Specialized website:

http://cdn.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/pdf/manuals/IG0271_2010_Transition_r2.pdf

I will let you know how it turns out.

.

Once, I was fast. But I got over it.

Re: How Do You Sand (File) Down Brake Pads? [Bruizer] [ In reply to ]

Jun 23, 15 6:45

Post #25 of 26 (19701 views)

Bruizer wrote:

hblake wrote:

I just bought a new set of race wheels, they are noticeably wider than my training wheel set. The bike is a Specialized Transition, the wheels are Hed Jets. I have opened up the bottom brake caliper as wide as it will go, turned the barrel adjuster and the brake pads still rub. I looked at Specialized website and found how to adjust the brake but it is just not enough. I have seen where others have filed or sanded down the brake pads to get wheels to fit. How do you that? I have a small vice so I can remove the pads. Do I get medium grit sand paper and just sand away? I have a few small files if that is better. Or is it best to buy thinner pads? The brake tracks on both training and race wheels are metal not carbon.

Thanks.

.

I have the same brakes. I had to loosen the cable and reset it when I got the Flo wheels since they're so much wider than most wheels. I'm just going to ask: Did you loosen the cable and reset it? If the brake cables are too short, you may have to replace them with longer ones.

That's what I was thinking too.

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